IRVING, Texas - Alan Ball has been a cornerback for most of his professional career. The Cowboys' third-year defensive back hadn't played safety since high school and some his freshman year at Illinois.
Cowboys head coach Wade Phillips has given him both cornerback and safety reps since the spring, though, and Ball worked at first-team free safety as far back as the May-June Organized Team Activities while starter Ken Hamlin dealt with a personal matter.
Now a high ankle sprain has shelved Hamlin for two-to-four weeks, and Ball will make his first start at free safety Sunday against the Redskins.
"I've been doing it since OTAs, so I'm pretty comfortable with it," Ball said. "The coaches have enough faith in me to put me out there, so I'm comfortable going out there.
"At corner, you don't have to talk a lot. At safety you have to know a lot. You have to make a lot of adjustments, a lot of checks."
Phillips likes Ball's tenacity and instincts at the position. As the free safety, he will make most of the pre-snap calls in the secondary, but veteran strong safety Gerald Sensabaugh will provide "a lot of help," Phillips said.
"Gerald knows the ins and outs of every defense," Ball said. "Having him back there with me, it helps a lot. You've got guys up there like (inside linebacker) Bradie (James) that are veterans that know what they're doing. Gerald is a veteran.
"When you've got guys around you that know what they're doing and can communicate with you and help you out, it makes it a lot easier."
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